Using the right keywords is the ladder that helps your content climb higher on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). The more you are seen during search, the more traffic you get on your website. This is exactly why keyword research is the main element of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It is important that your keyword research is comprehensive and hones in on search intent because it will be the foundation of your search engine optimization strategy. During keyword research, your primary goal should be to gather as many relevant keyword phrases that could reach your audience.
This blog by the AdCzar is a comprehensive guide to conducting keywords research for SEO:
1. Scan Your Website for Keywords Research
The very first step in looking for SEO keyword research is to look at your website for the main category. The words that you find during this process are the first ones you should add to your list to gain high-level insight into your website’s main goals.
2. Analyse Your Keyword Data with Google Search Console
If you have access to Google Search Console, located in your Google Analytics account, you can go to the performance section and see the search results reported there. The list you create here will give you insight into your most active keywords. If a term is performing well, you should make sure to continue including it in your SEO strategy and maybe even double your content efforts to gain traffic from that term.
3. Leverage Competitor Analysis Tools
Use competitive data tools to analyze your site and gain insight into your current performance. Remember that the keywords you find are different for macro-level SEO and local SEO. You can do macro-level keywords research for specific countries using SEMrush Keyword Research. This will help you in understanding the topics and keyword opportunities that are trending in the countries you are targeting.
4. Find Phrases with the Keyword Generator
Your next step is to use the keyword research tool to discover more ideas, synonyms, and keyword suggestions. You can use free keyword research tool, Google Keyword Planner, to discover new keyword ideas. Another and simpler option is to use SEMrush Keyword Research and insert keywords based on the categories you find on your site in the first step. Drilling into more specific categories ensures that the keywords suggested by the search engine are relevant to your topic.
5. Consolidate Your Keyword Data
At this point, you’re probably wondering why you have so many keyword lists, but don’t worry, it means you’re on the right track. These listings are your source of data for all keyword search volume and trends, as well as your competitors’ ranking and performance data. Combine all the lists belonging to the same subcategory and remove any duplicate keywords.
6. Keyword Classification by User Intent and Semantic Search
Divide them into categories like digital marketing, subcategories like SEO, and topic words like keyword research. For topic keywords with semantic similarity, you want to keep in mind the user search intent for each query and effectively reach your potential customers. People can use the same keywords to mean different things, so it is important understand user’s search intent.
7. Analyze Long-Tail Keywords and Short Keywords
In your keyword groups, it’s important to make sure you have a mix of short and long keywords. Short-tail are more competitive and high keyword search volume so they rank higher. On the other hand, long-tail keywords usually contain more than three words and are less competitive because they are geared toward more specific searches. Despite of the keyword difficulty a good mix of the two allows you to develop a keyword strategy that balances long-term and short-term interests.
8. Choose the Right Keyword Combination
When creating a keyword plan, you should consider the following information and how that information fits into your SEO strategy:
● Keyword search volume
You need to carefully evaluate the search volume and keyword difficulty of the word you are targeting. Keywords with high search volume are more likely to be competitive or harder to rank for. To rank higher on a high-volume, high-competition keyword difficulty, you need to have site authority for the topic.
● One way to build authority
Create the content on lower volume related keywords. This shows Google that you are an expert on the topic and improves your reputation. Knowing the keyword search volume for a given keyword will help you strategize to create the most effective approach based on the characteristics of your site.
● Keyword research trends
Trending keywords are always changing, so you need the most up-to-date data to stay on top of search trends. Google keyword research has a trending feature where you can quickly see which keywords are driving traffic right now. Trends can change based on current events, developments in popular culture.
9. Put Keyword Research into Action
● On-Page SEO
Incorporate your chosen keywords strategically into your website’s content, headings, meta tags and URLs. However, avoid keyword stuffing, as it can negatively affect your rankings.
● Optimize Images and Media
Don’t forget to optimize images and media files using descriptive filenames and alt text that includes relevant keywords.
● Monitor and Adjust
SEO keyword research is an ongoing process. Regularly monitor your keyword rankings and website analytics to gauge the effectiveness of your strategy. Adjust your approach based on the data.
Keyword research is the bedrock of successful SEO, enabling you to connect with your target audience and enhance your website’s visibility. By following the steps outlined in this comprehensive guide, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the world of keywords, drive organic traffic, and position your website for sustained online success.
To plan better keyword research exercise check Top 10 Best SEO Tools for Experts in 2023
Here’s more: 10 Simple Steps for a Solid SEO Strategy